


Snow Rest for the Wicked

by 27dragons, tisfan



Series: Sarcasm Prompts [12]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Pre-Slash, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 15:08:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17327282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/27dragons/pseuds/27dragons, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tisfan/pseuds/tisfan
Summary: Tony is Not Amused with Bucky and Steve's snowman... especially since it looks like a Tony Stark devil.





	Snow Rest for the Wicked

**Author's Note:**

> Winteriron 5 “Don’t look for any redeeming qualities. I don’t have any.” by thepunisherreigns

Of all the things Tony did not expect to be confronted with when his helicopter landed on the hotpad, was that the entire rest of the rooftop garden had been transformed into a winter wonderland, with two snow forts, a myriad of snowmen, and tons of twinkling lights. It was almost a week after new years, most people were taking their Christmas decorations down, not putting new ones up.

It was the first good snow of the season, though, so he supposed it was inevitable. Not knowing who’d instigated it, though, Tony was scanning the area for an errant snowball thrower when his eye snagged on a snowman wearing the Stark Industries ski cap. And had a goatee drawn on it.

And horns. And a devil’s tail. And was wielding a fucking _pitchfork_.

It hit right in his sternum, where the arc reactor used to lay. He’d thought they’d all worked out their difference. He’d thought they’d forgiven him, just as he’d forgiven them. They were all _friends_ again, he’d thought. They’d made him welcome during team activities... hadn’t they? A scroll of dinners and movie nights and poker games unrolled behind his eyes so he could examine their faces and words -- had the banter had more behind it than simple teasing? He hadn’t thought so, but...

He looked at that devil snowman again, and yes, it was _his_ goatee, or an approximation thereof. It wasn’t a generic “devil” goatee.

Tony swallowed, closed his eyes, pushed the ache of it down. So they hadn’t entirely forgiven him. He didn’t need their approval, didn’t need their friendship. Stark men were made of iron, and he was capable of working with people who didn’t like him. He did it all the time.

Tony didn’t try to figure out which of them had built the thing. Whoever had done it, they’d all let it stand. He squared his shoulders and lifted his chin and swept past the snow fort and its denizens.

“Oh, hey,” Bucky said, practically running Tony over as he pushed out of the door, carrying a bin full of-- honestly, it looked like Bucky had raided the old Captain America war bond show costume department and stuffed it into a crate. “Tony, you’re back!” His face lit up. “How was Tokyo? Wanna help?” He shook the crate at Tony and a bunch of cardboard cut Zs fell out into the snow.

On autopilot, Tony bent and scooped them up, dropping them back into the box. Did that mean that _Bucky_ was responsible for the devil-Tony? That hurt a little more; he’d thought he and Bucky had been getting close. _Shut it down, Stark_. “Tokyo was fine, but no, I’ve got to get unpacked and work on the brief for Pepper. See you around.” He ducked around Bucky and headed for his private elevator.

“Hey--” Bucky dropped the crate in the snow and chased after Tony. “Wait.” His hand hovered around Tony’s elbow, reaching, and then drawing back like he wasn’t sure he was allowed to touch. “Wait, huh? What… Did something happen in Tokyo? You seem--” He waved his hands around, ending with a gesture that might have meant something to someone. Someone who wasn’t _Tony_. Steve, maybe.

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Many things happened in Tokyo. That’s why I went. Everything went well. Another win for us capitalist demons.” He reached past Bucky to stab at the elevator button.

“So… why are you so _angry_?” Bucky always had seen through Tony’s press mask better than anyone else… maybe ever.

“Who’s angry?” Tony tried anyway. “I’m just me, who I’ve always been.” That was it, though, wasn’t it. No matter how much he tried to make up for his past, it was never quite enough for them. “Tony Stark: rich party-boy warmonger. Don’t look for any redeeming qualities. I don’t have any.” Fuck, why wasn’t the elevator moving any faster?

“The fuck--” Bucky said, then his eyes skated -- was that guilt? -- toward the roof. “You don’t like the little devil. That’s… that’s my fault, I think. Steve… ” And then he _blushed_ , throat going red and the color creeping up his face.

Christ, how much more could this hurt? “No, I get it,” Tony said shortly. “You all have to put up with me, but I’m still the personification of evil. It’s not a difficult metaphor to grasp.”

Bucky’s eyes went wide and horrified, and that blush stopped like someone had dumped icewater on it. “Oh, my God,” he said. “No, no, you absolutely do _not_ get it, it ain’t _nothin’_ like that, doll. Christ, this is humiliatin’. Didn’t… I didn’t-- shit.”

Bucky took a deep breath like he was bracing himself to jump off a cliff. “Steve was pokin’ fun at _me_. He made the snowman, just… ‘cause I said you were th’ very definition of _temptation_. Said I could stare at it ‘s’much as I wanted. ‘Cause all I do is look at you.”

Tony frowned, trying to make sense of that. “Everyone looks at me,” he said. “That’s not new. Everyone’s always waiting for the next big show, the next fuckup.”

“You really don’t know? I thought you were jus’ bein’ kind,” Bucky said. He moved closer, and for just a moment, Tony thought Bucky was going to kiss him, which was ridiculous. The elevator door opened, offering Tony an escape. “I mean, I know it’s hopeless, but… I ain’t lookin’ to see you make a mistake. I’m looking because you’re the only thing in the room _worth_ lookin’ at.” Bucky blinked his eyes several times, the long lashes were sinfully gorgeous, and it wasn’t fair. “Your… uh, your ride’s here.” He cleared his throat and then stepped back.

Tony found himself swaying forward, just a bit, trying to stay within Bucky’s orbit. “You’re looking at me,” he tried slowly, “because you... you _want_ me? _Me?_ ”

“You,” Bucky said. “Is that so hard to believe?” That blush was back, and he was gazing at Tony from under lowered lashes.

“Historically, from people who have to deal with me on a day-to-day basis, that’s... yeah, not usually a thing.” The elevator closed again, empty, and went on its way. Tony glanced back around at the devilish snowman, the pain and anger melting and leaving warmth behind. “So that’s... less evil and more... wicked.” He nodded. “I could, I could live with that.” He looked back at Bucky.

“ _Naughty_ , in fact.”

“I like the sound of that,” Tony admitted. “I bet I could show you whole new ways to be naughty.”

Bucky grinned, wide and open, even though that blush was still spread over his cheeks. “Wanna help me with Cap’s snowman?” He held up some of the cardboard Zs. “I thought we could have his audience be sleepin’ from boredom.”

Tony laughed, startled. “Guess we could show each other some things.”

“Never let a prank get stale,” Bucky said. He leaned in, arm going up to loom possessively over Tony. “I-- uh, can--” His eyes searched Tony’s face, looking for something; permission, encouragement, something. Whatever it was, he apparently found it, tipping his head and moving in for the kill.

The kiss was soft, Bucky’s lips were cold and a little bit chapped, but it was sweet and heated, and _perfect_.


End file.
